


Laser Tag

by lastweekon



Category: Ghost Adventures (TV)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Lust, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-02 23:02:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6586408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastweekon/pseuds/lastweekon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zak is exhausted after a long day of interviews. He just wants to hang back at the hotel and have a relaxing night. Nick and the guys have other plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Zak flopped down on his hotel room bed. It had been a long day of interviews and he was feeling more than a little drained. Thankfully the evening was free. And with the exception of finding somewhere to have dinner, he just wanted to lay right in this spot and do absolutely nothing. Hell, maybe he could convince Nick to order room service instead of going out with the other guys. If it wouldn’t be too suspicious, of course. He’d have to play it by ear like they did every time they were on location these days. Ever since he and Nick had secretly started dating, Zak had no idea _what_ to expect. Nick always showed up at his hotel room door, it was just a matter of when. They had to be careful not to draw attention, but they couldn’t resist the need to fall asleep in each other’s arms. He laid back, flipping the TV on, ready to fall asleep to something mindless. Someone would come by and wake him up for dinner eventually. 

He had just gotten the pillows exactly how he liked them when he heard a tapping on the door. He groaned, dragging himself from the bed. He opened the door to a grinning Nick.   
“Morning, sleeping beauty.” He joked.   
“I wasn’t sleeping.” Zak said a little grumpier than necessary.   
“Tell that to your hair.” Nick said, gesturing to Zak’s unruly locks. Zak brought his hand up, self-consciously smoothing out his hair. Nick smiled at him warmly, “You look cute with bedhead.” Zak felt a warm blush break out over his cheeks. He was still getting used to Nick referring to him in such a loving way. He didn’t know if he’d ever get used to it and he really didn’t mind.   
“Get in here.” Zak said, pulling Nick into the room and closing the door. He moved in for a quick kiss, anxious to feel the closeness he’d waited all day for. Nick accepted the kiss, wrapping his arms around Zak waist to pull him closer. Zak broke the kiss, but kept his arms wrapped firmly around the younger man’s shoulders, keeping him close. “So, I was thinking… what if we find an excuse to miss dinner and stay in and order room service instead?” he said in his most convincing voice. He even waggled his eyebrows up and down for good measure. Nick chuckled at the display.  
“Well, I think that _would_ have been great if I hadn’t already agreed to come in here and convince you to go laser tagging with us instead.” Nick said with an apologetic look.   
“Laser tag? Are you serious?” Zak said, defeated. “Why the hell would I want to go laser tagging right now?”   
“Come on! It’ll be fun!” Nick coaxed. “We’re all gonna go.”  
“It’s been such a long day and I’m exhausted. I just wanted to lay here and I was _hoping_ you’d join me.” Zak said, pressing his forehead into Nick’s, silently pleading with him to reconsider.   
“That sounds really nice, babe. But no can do. I already agreed. And you’re coming with me.” he said with a mischievous grin.   
“Is that so?” Zak challenged.   
“Yep.” Nick answered confidently.  
“What makes you so sure?”  
“Well, I know you. And I know you can’t back down from a challenge.” Nick said simply.   
“Who’s challenging me?” Zak asked. Nick gestured obviously toward himself.   
“Unless you can’t handle it?” he said daringly. Zak rolled his eyes.   
“You really think that’s gonna work? He asked. But unfortunately for him, it already was. Not that he wanted Nick to know that.   
“Oh, I know it’s gonna work.” Nick said, looking Zak in the eyes knowingly. “I mean, I know I’m faster than you and I have better aim, but I’m sure you’ll bring _something_ to your team.” Zak huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.  
“Oh, so what? I’m supposed to leave this comfortable bed _when I don’t want to_ , to play laser tag _when I don’t want to_ and now we don’t even get to be on the _same team_? Zak asked incredulous.   
“Well, what would be the fun in that?” Nick asked with a sly smile. Zak just stared back. He knew there was no way out of this. He would just have to go or Nick would _never_ shut up about it.   
“Fine.” He said, making sure Nick knew just how annoyed he was. But Nick just grinned at his victory.   
“We ship out in 10 minutes.” He said seriously. “Now get over here and kiss me like I’m going off to war.” He closed the gap between him and Zak, pressing their lips together in a heated kiss. Zak thought briefly about protesting, but the closeness was exactly what he craved. Hands everywhere, Nick backed him up against the wall as he nipped at the older man’s lips. Soon Zak began to feel dizzy but he craned his neck, wanting the intensity of this kiss to last. He pressed back into Nick, kissing him long and slow as his arms pulled him in tighter and tighter. Nick broke the kiss too soon, pressing his forehead to Zak’s. .   
“If we keep that up, I’m never gonna be able to leave.” He said, breathing heavily against Zak’s skin.   
“That’s the idea.” Zak said with a sly grin.   
“We’ll continue this later.” Nick smiled back. “I will meet _you_ downstairs in 10 minutes!” he said with a quick slap to Zak’s ass as he walked out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The games begin!

They made their way into the laser tag arena. The whole group was buzzing with excitement with the exception of Zak who was pouting. They had divided into teams before leaving the hotel and according to Nick, he wasn’t allowed to consort with the enemy. So that meant Zak getting ignored by the only person he wanted to be spending time with tonight. He knew Nick was just teasing him, and this was supposed to be fun, he just really wasn’t in the mood today. He hung back, playing around on his phone as Billy got them all checked in at the front desk. He felt Nick’s eyes on him, but he didn’t look up. If they were enemies tonight, then so be it. He wasn’t about to show any mercy. Billy walked back over to the group.   
“We’re all set! Time to suit up!” He said excitedly. An employee led the way as the two teams split up and began to talk strategy.   
“Zak, get your ass over here!” Aaron called back. He, Jay and a couple of the production crew were already whispering quietly. Zak sighed, making is way over to join. “When we get in there, I say we splinter off immediately. Look for cover and give your eyes a minute to adjust.” Aaron said excitedly.   
“We should come up with a code word in case one of us is surrounded and we need help.” one of the crew members added.  
“What about pickle?” Jay suggested.   
“Pickle? How about something way less weird, dude.” Aaron laughed.   
“What about Bogey?” Zak heard himself say. “It’s an old military term. I don’t think I’m using it right, but it sounds cool.”  
“Cooler than ‘pickle’, that’s for sure!” Aaron said with a laugh. “Bogey? I like it!” he added with a slap to Zak’s back. The rest of them agreed. Zak was feeling a little bit better about this whole thing. If he had to play, he might as well embrace it. Besides, he was pretty sure crushing Nick’s team would only improve his mood.

They all suited up, strapping on their black vests and grabbing for their guns. Zak felt eyes on him and when he looked up he saw Nick staring at him from across the room. He felt warmth spread over him at Nick’s gaze. Those eyes had a way of doing that to him. Nick raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed with what he saw. Zak had to admit, Nick looked pretty hot in his combat vest too. It hugged his body much tighter than his shirts normally did, leaving little to the imagination. Zak swallowed thickly, feeling a distinct stirring in his body as he took in the sight. Nick smirked, mouthing something that Zak didn’t catch. Zak looked at him, eyes half-lidded and suddenly confused. Nick’s smirk grew cold as he lifted his hand up, using his thumb to trace a horizontal line across his throat. _You’re going down_. That’s what he had been mouthing. Zak shot back daggers at Nick, upset with himself for getting sucked into his charade. If that’s how he wanted to play this then he had better be prepared. Zak tore his eyes away, turning back to his team.   
“Let’s do this, you guys! No mercy. I want to _annihilate them_.” he seethed. “This isn’t fun and games anymore, this is war!” Everyone looked at him with stunned expressions.  
“Damn, dude. Where did that come from?” Aaron laughed. “Like 5 minutes ago you didn’t even want to play.”  
“Look at them over there,” Zak gestured to the opposing team. “Acting like they _own_ this arena. Like they’ve already won.” The group looked at each other, slightly confused. To them, the opposing team just looked like a few guys getting ready to play a game. All Zak could see was the smug, satisfied look on Nick’s face. And he wanted nothing more than to wipe it clean. Well that, and to figure out how to smuggle one of those vests back to their hotel room.   
“Can I have everyone’s attention please?” The young employee announced in a monotone voice. “For your safety, we ask that you don’t run in the arena. No food or drink is permitted past this door. No blocking your vest sensors. And please stay at least five feet from the opposing team at all times. This is a sudden death course. You are permitted to recharge your gun as many times as you need to. If you get hit three times in a row without recharging your gun, you are dead and you must leave the arena. The last team standing wins. Have fun.” He ended with even less excitement than he had started with. He opened both sets of doors allowing the two teams to pour into the dark arena. Zak, Aaron and the rest of the team fanned out, searching for cover. Zak positioned himself against a low wall, blinking quickly as he tried to adjust to the dim light of the arena. He heard movement to his left and crouched lower, holding his breath as Billy walked past him. He decided not to shoot for fear of giving up his position. Instead he surveyed the arena, taking in the lay of the land and looking for any signs of Nick. He knew the younger man would be coming for him. He’d shoot anyone he crossed paths with along the way, but at the end of the day, Zak was his number one target. Zak shuddered slightly at the thought. He wasn’t sure if it was fear or the thrill of the chase. Either way, his adrenaline was pumping. A few moments later, his eyes had adjusted enough that he felt comfortable leaving his position. He crouched low, stealthily making his way along the wall. When he got to a doorway, he checked both sides carefully before making a break for a partition a ways ahead of him. He saw the laser out of the corner of his eye, and dropped low to slide behind the wall, but he didn’t quite make it. The first hit came from someone on the upper level. He sat, pressing his back against the wall. Based on the angle the shot had come from, there was no way they could hit him again. But he knew he couldn’t stay glued to this spot the entire game. He kept his eyes peeled for movement around him. He heard quiet cursing and laughing bouncing off the walls of the arena, but it was hard to tell which direction the sounds came from. His heart was beating faster than he’d ever admit. He could feel Nick nearby and his eyes searched the dark wildly for any sign of him. A light from the second level appeared again, taking aim at a dark corner across the room. The vest lit up at the direct hit, illuminating Nick’s silhouette. He cursed quietly, crouching down and disappearing into darkness again. Zak knew he had to move. He was sure Nick had seen him, he’d felt him watching, waiting for the right moment to strike. Zak didn’t bother checking his periphery, he just cut off to the left, disappearing behind a maze of partitions. He heard three quick blasts followed by Aaron cursing loudly from the upper level. Nick had taken him out. Zak knew it was only a matter of seconds before Nick made his way across the arena and he searched frantically for the best spot to hide. He heard footsteps approaching from behind him. Not Nick. They were coming from the wrong direction. They moved slowly and carefully along the other side of the wall that Zak was currently crouched in front of. Zak froze. If he made a run for it, he risked running straight into Nick. He looked to his right as the footsteps got closer. He saw a dark form dart out from behind the wall, making a run for a nearby partition. A second later a series of shots rang out followed by Jay’s panicked voice.   
“Pickle! Pickle! Pickle!”   
But Zak knew it was already too late and he wasn’t about to give up his position now. Not with Nick so close by. He crouched lower, moving in the opposite direction of the commotion. He needed to put as much room between him and Nick as possible. He rounded the corner and came face to face with Billy who got off one quick shot, a direct hit. Zak raised his gun, quickly popping off two shots, taking Billy out of commission.   
“That was cold, man.” Billy said as he got up and made his way off the playing field. Zak was sure that the blasts had gotten Nick’s attention. The arena was quiet now and he was fairly certain they were the only two left. He peeked out around the corner looking for any sign of the younger man. He knew he needed to get to the charging station. He’d already been hit twice. Once more and he’d be dead. He spotted the nearest charging pad, but it was clear across the arena. He thought about making a run for it, but he knew that Nick was close and he wouldn’t miss. He squatted down, opting to try and make it 10 feet to the nearest cover. He took a couple quick breaths before darting for the partition. Sure enough, he saw light out of the corner of his eye. Nick popped off a few shots in quick succession, but Zak somehow managed to avoid getting hit. He pressed his back up against the wall, letting his heart rate slow as he planned his next move. He listened closely for any signs of movement, but Nick was silent. There was no way for Zak to know how close he was or what direction he might be coming from.   
“Zaaaaak.” Nick taunted, the sound echoing across the empty arena. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Zak swallowed hard. It was almost impossible to tell which direction Nick’s voice was coming from as it reverberated off the walls. But it was close enough to send chills down Zak’s spine.. “It’s just you and me in here now. And you know I’m gonna find you.” Nick said, letting the threat hang in the air. Zak peered out from behind the partition, looking longingly at the charging pad. It was still too far to run, especially with Nick so close by. “You know, you might as well just come out now and save yourself the embarrassment. Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick.” Nick said, and Zak could hear the smirk in his voice. Zak’s cheeks burned hot with some mixture of anger and excitement. He’d be damned if Nick thought he’d just give up without a fight. He spotted a row of partitions to his right. It wasn’t the most direct route to the charging pad, but if he moved quickly and quietly enough, it might be his best bet. He made a move, bracing himself. But no shots came. He released a shaky breath, continuing along the wall.   
“Marco!” He heard Nick yell out. This time it sounded a bit farther away and Zak let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Your line is ‘polo’, Zak. That’s okay, we’ll try again.” Nick snarked. “Marco!” He yelled, louder this time. Zak stayed silent as he made his way closer and closer to the charging pad. His heart raced in his chest as he searched for any signs of movement. The charging pad was so close. Only one more partition separated him from it and last he’d heard, Nick’s voice sounded like he was moving away from him. He took a deep breath. It was now or never. He sprinted out from behind the wall, beelining for the charging station. He nearly slammed into Nick as he stepped out from behind the final partition, gun raised. Zak jumped back, dodging behind the wall, but Nick was right behind him. Zak turned to face him, raising his own gun.   
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Nick said frankly.   
“Oh yeah, why not?” Zak asked. His heart raced in his chest as he backed slowly away from his pursuer.   
“Well, I’ve only been hit once. So you’d have to shoot me twice to kill me. And by then you’d already be dead.” Nick smiled.   
“And if I don’t shoot you, I’ll be dead anyway.” Zak grumbled. He really did not like to lose. Especially when Nick looked so pleased with himself.   
“True.” Nick taunted, following Zak as he continued to back away. “But, I could make it a quick death or I could make it _very, very_ slow.” he threatened. His eyes flicked over Zak’s body hungrily. Zak’s breath caught in his throat as he unconsciously backed himself into a corner. He lowered his gun slowly as Nick approached. His dark eyes dragged over Zak’s as he caged his body in. “You look so damn hot in that vest.” Nick whispered darkly, sending shivers up Zak’s spine. Zak licked his lips lightly, willing Nick to come closer. Nick’s lips grazed over Zak’s and the older man parted his lips expectantly, feeling the warmth of Nick’s breath ghosting over him.   
“Nick…” Zak breathed desperately. Nick answered immediately, slamming his lips down on Zak’s, knocking the air out of the older man as he pressed his body up against the wall behind him. Zak groaned in approval, dropping his gun to wrap his arms tightly around Nick’s neck, pulling him impossibly closer. Nick ran his tongue over Zak’s lips, teasing his mouth open before tangling his tongue with Zak’s greedily. Zak’s head swam as Nick kissed him eagerly, hardly letting their lips separate long enough for air. After a few moments, Zak arched his head back, desperately sucking in breaths. Nick took the opportunity to kiss his way down Zak’s jawline and over his neck.   
He leaned in, brushing his lips over Zak’s ear, “Aren’t you happy you decided to come?”   
“Mmm…” Zak answered back, still relishing the closeness. “We could have done this at the hotel too, you know.”   
“Yeah, but then you wouldn’t be wearing that vest.” Nick whispered darkly, bringing their lips together again. Zak smiled into the kiss, getting lost in the sweet warmth of Nick’s body pressed against his. He hardly noticed Nick’s arms moving as the younger man continued to kiss him slowly and purposefully. Zak felt pressure on his chest and when he broke the kiss to look down, he saw the barrel of Nick’s gun pressed up against him. Nick smiled wickedly, pulling the trigger.   
“Nick!” Zak cried, shocked by the turn of events. “I can’t believe you just… you _shot_ me!” He said, eyes wide.   
“Sorry babe.” Nick said cooly. “I warned you.”   
“But we were kissing. That’s not fair...and you’re supposed to be five feet away!” Zak said, exasperated.   
“Technicality.” Nick argued. Zak crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. “God, you’re such a sore loser.” Nick said with a chuckle.   
“I am not!” Zak argued.   
“I’ll tell you what,” Nick said, pulling Zak in by the waist. “How about we go back to the hotel and I’ll be your consolation prize?” He said, laying soft kisses along Zak’s collarbone as he spoke. Zak was putty in Nick’s hands. He fought back a soft moan, working hard to collect himself.  
“Damn right, you will!” He said with the most serious look he could manage.

**Author's Note:**

> Almost done with the second and last chapter. Is there anything better than a little healthy competition?


End file.
